Thanks again for stopping by during my little open house week. It is so much fun to have you over for such a personal visit. If you missed the office reveal and country house tour: part 1, simply click here...
Today I am taking you to the city house, which is a gated two story little place, that sits in the city of Tucson, Arizona.
Come on in through the private gate to my front yard that leads you under my overgrown arbor, and into my secluded and very private courtyard. You can sit on the green wooden bench that lives under the umbrellas...
I love courtyards. I think they are so sweet and dreamy. A tiny garden space to read in or listen to the fountain in...
That is not our cat, but he lived in our garden for a short time, then left one day. Let's go inside, shall we?
Let's start in the sitting room...
As I said in the post below, I believe in surrounding myself with what I love. I adore Jen's at Indie Fixx's description of my decorating style. She has gotten closer than I ever have in describing it.
In putting this little home tour together I realized that I have never ever wondered if something will work with something else in my house. I just buy what I like and want. Is it obvious? Since I have always had an eclectic style, I don't know if it is just a big mish-mosh, or not. All I know is that it makes me happy ;)
(I like to put a big mirror in front of the fireplace during warm months. The fireplace is behind the black chair)
I adore little nooks and shrines filled with treasures. They don't have to be religious shrines, I just love creating little spaces that hold things that lift my spirits and bring a sense of beauty and peace to me...
Almost everything I bring home ends up coming home with me because of its story or history. That, or I simply feel a deep connection to it...
As you can tell I love bright white. I don't know what it is, but I have to have brightness. I think it keeps me from feeling gloomy or sad. Maybe that's it?
I do adore color bursts here and there. I have many of my colorful paintings hanging that I did many years ago during my abstract art days (which I am being drawn to again, I must admit).
I also love going into homes that have colorful walls. I have tried color on my walls in my own home, but it didn't feel right in my own space. I even love looking at really dark rooms, like black walls or tapestry covered walls with baroque furnishings and white curtains etc. Maybe one day, if I win a Victorian Mansion I will do dark walls in one room ;)
When I was 11 years old I started painting furniture. There are many pieces I painted about 10-15 years ago that still live at the city house. Once day, about 5+ years ago, I saw the bench above by Luon St.Pierre at Bohemia, and thought it really complimented my own painted pieces. I love that bench.
I painted the mermaid on my bookcase as well. The other side of the bookcase is painted with the mermaid from head to torso, and the side you can see has her tail painted on it. I also painted scenes on the lower doors, but they are blocked by the bench.
The large wooden mermaid on my black piece of furniture happens to be part of one man's collection (unbeknownst to me when I purchased the first piece), which I acquired over time from an antique store. The mermaid was part of the collection that had the two wooden santos that are at my country house. They all come from the Philippines and were used in religious processions.
I also love collecting other artists work. Like the sculpture below by Gonzalo Espinosa, which is a winged man on one side and a woman on the backside...
Anyhow, let's leave the sitting room for now, and move on to the little dining area, shall we?
I forgot to show you at the country house, but I have a wall with what others call scary clown paintings. And, I have one of my circus guys hanging in the dining/piano area at the city house.
This is my piano which I painted about 13+ years ago. That piano was given to me by my parents when I was 3 years old. It was a beautiful creme and gold French looking thing. Oops ;)
Although, my Mom likes it better this way, and she is the one who encouraged me to paint it in the first place...
I love to incorporate things like antique chairs and funky silly pillows. I think the whole juxtaposition of it all, thrills me...
I just love collecting treasures. Notice how I have used the word "love" one too many times in this post already ~ Oh well, I love to love I guess ;)
The deliciousness of collecting interesting things has its hold on me. Don't you love the anticipation of searching for the ultimate find? I sure do...
Many years ago I painted a whole series of heart paintings and I kept this one below. I have two in my canvas storage that are left to be completed from 15 years ago, and I am itching to work on them again. They are heavily textured, which is much more visible in person...
Sooo, on to the next room - we won't be going upstairs today, but let me take you to the master bedroom, which happens to be on the 1st floor...
This is my happy little bedroom, filled with flowers and wacky things...
I just don't get tired of this Anthropologie bedding. I got it years and years ago, and it still makes me smile...
On the left side of my bedroom is a tall piece that goes with my nightstands. It houses my television, and stands in front of a wall of windows, which I forgot to take a picture of. There is also a nook on that side for...
And this is the powder room. Talk about getting personal ;) Although, no closet shots for today. My bathroom had a double sink, but when we gutted it, we got rid of one sink so that I could have more usable space.
Is it time for dress-up yet?
Well actually, I think it is about time for treats, don't you?
I think one of my favorite places in a home is the kitchen. I love to cook, and I love nothing more than huddling in the kitchen and cooking while people sip wine and chat with me...
A kitchen can be such a warm fun place, don't you think?
I think it is extra fun to find ugly pieces of furniture with potential. I painted that kitchen curio cabinet in the far right, that I got at a rummage sale for 40 dollars about 8 years ago. It was so ugly, but painted it worked just fine.
The table has tall chairs, but I moved them for the photo. My friends usually sit there, while I chop veggies and create some sort of edible treat...
As the sun goes down, and the city house tour comes to an end, we light candles. Don't you love how candles make your house glow?
You can see more city house garden night photos in this blog post...
Thank you ever so much for peeking inside the city house. Two more posts to come, for our tour this week. I hope you will stop back in ;)
♥,V
ps: There are two art dolls in my shop looking for special homes ;)
